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ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS

• A 2021 study by James Cook University—which calls for the expansion of abortion promotion in Australian medical schools—estimates Australia’s annual abortion total to be at least 100,000.

• Guttmacher estimates that between 2015 and 2019, Australia’s average annual abortion total was 93,800.

• Based on the cumulative 2023 abortion total for South Australia, Western Australia, and New South Wales (31,288), which made up 49% of Australia’s population and live births in 2023, we can extrapolate a nationwide abortion total somewhere around 63,900. 

ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS (South Australia)

• In 2024, 4,725 abortions took place in South Australia, down from 5,003 in 2023. Additional abortion totals by selected year are listed below:

  Annual Abortion Totals by Year
  2020	2015	2010	2005	2000	1995	1990	1985	1980	1975	1970
  4,681	4,441	5,048	4,715	5,580	5,475	4,463	4,079	4,081	3,000	1,440

  Annual Abortion Totals by Year
  2020	2015	2010	2005	2000	1995
  4,681	4,441	5,048	4,715	5,580	5,475

  1990	1985	1980	1975	1970
  4,463	4,079	4,081	3,000	1,440

• Approximately 20% of all pregnancies in South Australia (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion in 2024. That's down from 21% in 2023. Additional abortion percentages by selected year are listed below:

  Percentage of Pregnancies Aborted by Year (excluding spontaneous miscarriages)
  2020	2015	2010	2005	2000	1995	1990	1985	1980	1975	1970
  20.1%	18.5%	20.1%	20.9%	23.8%	22.1%	18.5%	17.1%	18.1%	13.1%	6.0%

  Percentage of Pregnancies Aborted by Year (excluding spontaneous miscarriages)
  2020	2015	2010	2005	2000	1995
  20.1%	18.5%	20.1%	20.9%	23.8%	22.1%

  1990	1985	1980	1975	1970
  18.5%	17.1%	18.1%	13.1%	6.0%

• Total annual abortions in South Australia have increased by more than 225% since 1970, when abortion became legal in the state. The total number of annual abortions more than doubled between 1970 and 1973. There were 5,679 abortions reported in 1999, which is the highest total on record.
• Between 1970 and 2024, approximately 245,000 abortions occurred in South Australia.

ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS (Western Australia)

• In 2022, 8,545 abortions took place in Western Australia. This is up from 8,185 abortions in 2021. Additional abortion totals by selected year are listed below:

  Annual Abortion Totals by Year
  2020	2018	2016	2014	2012	2010	2008	2006	2004	2002	2000
  7,955	7,816	7,855	8,516	8,429	8,415	8,668	8,336	7,869	8,262	8,337

  Annual Abortion Totals by Year
  2020	2018	2016	2014	2012	2010
  7,955	7,816	7,855	8,516	8,429	8,415

  2008	2006	2004	2002	2000
  8,668	8,336	7,869	8,262	8,337

• Approximately 20% of all pregnancies in Western Australia (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion in 2022. That's down from 19.3% in 2021. Additional abortion percentages by selected year are listed below:

  Percentage of Pregnancies Aborted by Year (excluding spontaneous miscarriages)
  2020	2018	2016	2014	2012	2010	2008	2006	2004	2002	2000
  19.6%	18.9%	18.1%	19.3%	19.9%	21.0%	21.2%	23.0%	23.5%	25.1%	24.6%

  Percentage of Pregnancies Aborted by Year (excluding spontaneous miscarriages)
  2020	2018	2016	2014	2012	2010
  19.6%	18.9%	18.1%	19.3%	19.9%	21.0%

  2008	2006	2004	2002	2000
  21.2%	23.0%	23.5%	25.1%	24.6%

• There were 8,885 abortions reported in 2009, which is the highest total on record.

ANNUAL ABORTION STATISTICS (New South Wales)

• In 2023,* 17,740 abortions took place in New South Wales. This is the first year that an abortion total for NSW has been published.

• Approximately 16.7% of all pregnancies in New South Wales (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion in 2023.*

  *New South Wales reports annual abortions across portions of two calendar years. The 2023 total includes abortions that occurred between July 2023 and June 2024.

WHO HAS ABORTIONS?

• In both South Australia and Western Australia, women in their 20s account for the majority of abortions; women aged 20-24 have the highest abortion rate.**

  **The abortion rate is the number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44.

• In South Australia, adolescents under 15 years obtained 0.1% of all 2024 abortions; women aged 15–19 years accounted for 9.7%.

• Percentage of 2024 Reported Abortions by Age of Mother (South Australia):

  <15 years	15–19 years	20–24 years	25–29 years	30–34 years	35–39 years	40+ years
  0.1%	9.7%	24.8%	25.3%	20.2%	14.8%	5.1%

  <15 years	15–19 years	20–24 years	25–29 years
  0.1%	9.7%	24.8%	25.3%

  30–34 years	35–39 years	40+ years
  20.2%	14.8%	5.1%

• In Western Australia, adolescents under 15 years obtained less than 1% of all 2018 abortions; women aged 15–19 years accounted for 7%.

• Percentage of 2018 Reported Abortions by Age of Mother (Western Australia):

  <15 years	15–19 years	20–24 years	25–29 years	30–34 years	35–39 years	40+ years
  0.3%	7.5%	23.0%	25.9%	22.5%	14.6%	6.1%

  <15 years	15–19 years	20–24 years	25–29 years
  0.3%	7.5%	23.0%	25.9%

  30–34 years	35–39 years	40+ years
  22.5%	14.6%	6.1%

• In 2024, Metropolitan residents account for 81% of all abortions in South Australia. 

WHY DO ABORTIONS OCCUR?

In South Australia, abortion is legal for any reason when performed before 22 weeks and 6 days gestation. Later abortions can still occurr if two medical practitioners deem the abortion "medically necessary."

• In South Australia, 95% of all abortions are elective. They are performed for "mental health" reasons; 4% owe to fetal abnormality and 1% are performed for medical reasons.

In Western Australia, abortion is legal for any reason through 20 weeks if performed by a medical practitioner. Past 20 weeks, abortion must be approved by an appointed medical panel.

• In Western Australia, 3.2% of abortions owe to fetal abnormality.

WHEN DO ABORTIONS OCCUR?

• In South Australia, 91% of all 2024 abortions happened during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy; 48 abortions occurred after 22 weeks and 6 days.

• In Western Australia, 93% of all 2022 abortions occurred during the first 12 weeks; 76 abortions occurred after 20 weeks.

• Percentage of 2018 Reported Abortions by Weeks of Gestation*** (Western Australia):

  ≤9 wks	10-13 wks	14-19 wks	≥20 wks
  82.1%	11.8%	5.0%	1.1%

  ***Gestational weeks are measured from the first day of the woman's last menstruation and not from the day of conception. Though it does not provide an accurate fetal age (which is roughly 2 weeks less than the gestational age), it is the simplest way for an OB/GYN to age a pregnancy since the day of conception is often not known. Hence, if an abortion occurs at 8 weeks gestation, it is actually aborting a 6 week embryo. The images on our Prenatal Development and Abortion Pictures pages are more precisely captioned with fetal ages in accordance with standard teaching texts on prenatal development.

HOW DOES ABORTION TAKE PLACE?

• In South Australia, 31% of all 2024 abortions were performed by vacuum aspiration or dilation and curettage; 61% were performed medically.
• In Western Australia, 51.5% of all 2018 abortions were performed by vacuum aspiration. Medical abortions made up 33%; D&E abortions accounted for 15%.
• In South Australia, 84% of all 2024 abortions were performed in an abortion clinic, 10% in a hospital, and 5% in a doctor's office.
• In New South Wales, 20% of all 2023 abortions were performed in hospitals.

This page was last updated on February 26, 2026. To cite this page in a research paper, visit: "Citing Abort73 as a Source."